Monthly Archives: December 2012

A Little History on Big Island

Posted on by

Big Island, Lake MinnetonkaWhen I started writing for Tonka Times magazine in 2010, one of my first stories was about the history of Big Island on Lake Minnetonka. This island has undergone many transitions over the past century, ranging from a Dakota Indian maple syrup site to a bustling amusement park hosting up to 15,000 daily visitors. Today, the western portion of the island is divided amongst numerous property owners, and the eastern 56 acres comprise a passive recreation park managed by the City of Orono. If you’d like to learn more about Big Island’s colorful history, including tales from the Scheftel family and their mother, Marge, who became known as The Queen of Big Island, click the link below to read the story. Enjoy!

Wetutonka: A Little History on Big Island. Tonka Times, July 2010.

Published version of the story posted with permission of the publisher of Tonka Times magazine.

China’s Terracotta Warriors

Posted on by

Terracotta Chariot Replica. Photo by Kris Danson.I’m starting to wonder if I’ve been living under a rock. Until my sister asked me the other day if I wanted to go to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts (MIA) for their special exhibit, I don’t ever recall hearing about China’s Terracotta Warriors. These statues were discovered in 1974 by farmers who were digging a well in Shaanxi province. We went to the MIA exhibit on Friday, and it was fascinating to learn about this massive collection of 8,000 life-sized terracotta warrior statues, the creation of which was commissioned by China’s First Emperor, Qin Shi Huang. He ascended to the throne at the age of 13, and from that moment, he began to plan for his burial and a means to protect himself in the afterlife. The terracotta warriors, chariots and more than 600 life-sized horses were buried near Emperor Qin’s mausoleum when he died in 210 B.C. The photo shown here, taken by my sister, Kris Danson, is a replica.

It’s mind-boggling to think of the logistics and technological savvy it took to create this impressive artistic collection. It’s just as fascinating to think that we can cast our eyes upon (but not touch, photograph or even sketch!) these beautifully detailed earthen treasures that are more than 2,000 years old. Continue reading →

Munsingwear – A Brief History

Posted on by

We’re easing into December this weekend with 50° temps, which is above average for Minnesota. I skipped the long underwear today, but I’ve already been wearing them for the past couple weeks. I found some great wool blend garments at Costco that have me reminiscing about George Munsing. He’s the guy who invented a way to plate silk onto wool, giving us cozy and itchless wool undergarments. The company he helped found in 1886 eventually became known as Munsingwear, and it was a big part of Minneapolis history for more than 100 years. I wrote about this history for the September 2011 issue of Tonka Times.

Click the link below if you’d like to read the story. Enjoy!

MunsingwearMunsingwear: A Brief History. Tonka Times Sept 2011

Published version of the story posted with permission of the publisher of Tonka Times magazine.